Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ForeverSg1]

I agree. I much prefer the ambiguity than what a romantic relationship would bring. Not only would it change my perception of the characters (probably for the worse), it would also change my perceptions of past actions.
I think there are better ways to get character growth and development that a non-shippy conclusion to Sam/Jack would bring than a pro one would.

And also, it comes down quite simply to not wanting to see much romantic stuff on the show. If there was an option between seeing a 'shippy' scene between Sam and Janet or a scene where Sam is blowing **** up, I'd always pick the 'blowing **** up' one

I totally agree, but very rarely do we see big screen movie where there isn't some aspect of romance especially for science fiction movies. Why? Because romance typically draws in the women who as a whole aren't big sci-fi/fantasy fans and the movie companies want as big a draw as possible. The ship aspects may be subdued, but they are typically there. Star Wars had Hans and Lea, Matrix had Trinity and Neo, Terminator had Sarah and Kyle, Serenity had Mal/Inara, Simon/Kaylee and Wash/Zoe.

You may not enjoy ship with your SciFi, but it's not something that's new.

[Agent_Dark]

I totally agree, but very rarely do we see big screen movie where there isn't some aspect of romance especially for science fiction movies. Why? Because romance typically draws in the women who as a whole aren't big sci-fi/fantasy fans and the movie companies want as big a draw as possible. The ship aspects may be subdued, but they are typically there. Star Wars had Hans and Lea, Matrix had Trinity and Neo, Terminator had Sarah and Kyle, Serenity had Mal/Inara, Simon/Kaylee and Wash/Zoe.

You may not enjoy ship with your SciFi, but it's not something that's new.

Yeah I realise that, however the difference is (for the most part. The Matrix can be excluded here ) they were all much better written than what Sam/Jack ever were. The writers ruined Sam/Jack along time ago for me, so that I'll stick with a deep friendship between them.

[ForeverSg1]

Yeah I realise that, however the difference is (for the most part. The Matrix can be excluded here ) they were all much better written than what Sam/Jack ever were. The writers ruined Sam/Jack along time ago for me, so that I'll stick with a deep friendship between them.

Can't argue with you there.

[chocdoc]

I was writing to Coley tonight off-thread and we were discussing AT returning for the beginning of S10 (sometime this month, right?) ... I mentioned that I thought she's in a much better place now (emotionally and physically) than she was when she returned to the set after her MLA. She shared at GABIT that it was a very vulnerable time for her and how she needed to ease herself back into the group.

Look at the difference a year can bring: she now returns, looking better than ever - her pre-preggers figure back, Olivia almost a toddler, memories of the GABIT weekend which must have boosted her spirits too. And, from what I've seen of the past couple S9 episodes, she seemed to have found her groove once again onscreen. She seemed more relaxed and in control as she went into the final weeks of filming that season. It's fun to watch her.

Now, instead of being the "new momma" on the set, Amanda is the one female who's ready to take on the new season. CB has had or about to have her own baby; Lexa is giving birth at end of March. So, I had this wild idea. Let me run with it. If I were one of the writers, I would take this opportunity of the interrupted flow of estrogen on set to bring back Janet!

Spoiler:

I would build on the back story created for Ripple Effect. Janet returns to her world with the cure for the Ori plague. When she gets there, she finds that all her nearest and dearest (Sam, Daniel, T, Cassie, etc.) had succumbed to the plague as most of the population ... she is broken hearted but manages to activate the cure and save the rest. However, her heart is no longer in staying in her world and she finds a way to dial back to the SGC and ask Landry if she could seek residence there. He welcomes her and offers her placement in the infirmary since Dr. Lam is on leave (Lexa having her baby). Then Cassie returns and they are reunited ... well, they both know that it's not really them but both miss the other so much that they are drawn to one another. Sam, Daniel and T have some touching scenes with both of them.

Just wishful thinking I guess but how great would that be!

Thanks for this post, Chopingal (and Coley!). I like your perspective about the difference between how AT might be feeling as she returns in just a little over a week or so to start season 10 and how she expressed feeling when she went back last year to start filming season 9. I think it must be a huge difference for so many reasons! I think she will be in a much better place this time around. I also think that AT found her groove by the time the last several episodes were filmed (specifically Ripple Effect, Grace Under Pressure and Ethon). It's quite an interesting development watching AT seem less tired, and more into what is happening again. And I think you're right---she'll come into season 10 in a much better place physically and emotionally. I'm sure Gabit was a real boost!! And to have another one in November!

I'm not real pleased with season 9, but I am finally enjoying some episodes, and so I admit that seeing AT continue to act as Sam is worth it to me (similar to Agent Dark), even though Stargate SG-1 maybe should have ended at season 8. I guess I still look forward to the upcoming episodes of this season because I think Ripple Effect and Ethon were really good. I also think season 10 has some potential to be good if Sam has her normal amount of screentime and the stories are good. I think there is a chance of this---part of me thinks this because I think they'll have Sam and Vala actually interact and it could be good. Also, funny enough, I think that because MS will be out for four episodes, that may provide the opportunity to have Vala interact with other characters besides Daniel. I actually think this is critical for the show.

I really don't think TPTB plan to do the Daniel/Vala show again because I think a very unique set of circumstances led to that on the show (RDA gone, AT gone, Mitchell and Teal'c wallpapered, Vala as special guest star). At the start of season 10, Sam/AT is there and in a better place, Mitchell/BB will not be wallpapered because he is the male lead, and Daniel will be missing for two episodes in the first half. So, I'm hoping for a much more balanced show. I know, I know. Maybe it will be the Mitchell/Vala show, but I guess I'm willing to see if this is so.

Oh, and the MajorSal's question about Sam -- definitely a-- I would want to see her lead SG-1. I like sam in the field, definitely, and in the action, both as a military officer and as a scientist. I don't see her staying on the base.

[majorsal]

spoilers for s8 and s9

1
1
1
1
1

OK, I was watching It's Good to Be King last night and I noticed something. When SG1 was searching the puddle jumper, Sam was clearly in command mode. Although she would have loved finding Ancient technology whatever new technology it was for her, she put SG1's safety first and told them to quit before it was too late. We know that they finally found the puddle jumper and then, when Jack came, Sam went instantly back into scientist mode and refused to blow the ship up until Jack made it an order. So, I was wondering if being in charge isn't too painful for Sam and her love for science. I noticed she was much more relaxed when she went back to scientist!Sam. We all love Sam in charge, but does she love being in charge ? She has the experience and the ability to be in charge. She's a good leader, but is she comfortable with it ?

that's a *very* good question. i really don't have an answer.

i think sam likes the military, and all that goes with it. she's used to it. it's a security blanket. i also think she *likes* being promoted and all that that entails.

that's why i see sam questioning not returning to being the leader of sg1 when she returned to the sgc. a simple solution to this (if the writers just would not go with the samleader idea again) is to have had mitchell offering her the position back, but her declining (for whatever her reasons). but to ignore that side of sam; the side that's military minded and interested in advancing her career/in her career... it goes against YEARS of the sam carter i'd seen.

so in 'trying' to answer this question, i think sam's comfortable 'enough' with it (like any other person new to it - like mitchell). does she 'prefer' being science person over leader? i don't know. but what i *do* know is she is capable of doing *both* at the same time. she did so in season 8.

season 9 should have been sam's year (for the writers to *finally* show sam in her true glory as leader of sg1).



sally

[majorsal]

(snippage)

And then there was that undercurrent with Jack that came to a head through the end of S3 and beginning of S4. But even then, when Jack gave her opportunity to talk about it, she shut the door.

oh, but remember, *sam* was the one that had to pull the 'truth' out of jack to even get him to admit that they were lying. sounds like both were wanting to push the subject into a room and shut the door. just saying.




sally

[majorsal]

i think a lot of why sam wouldn't talk to jack is because she was afraid.

jack's a very passionate person, who can also carry a grudge like noboby's business. if they'd have shacked up adn it didn't work, the team would be gone cause i don't think jack would ever get over it.

i agree. and i also think it was easier for sam to wonder 'what if' if she kept it to herself, than knowing for sure (especially if the answer was him not caring for her in the same way). did that make sense?





sally

[ParadoxRealities]

i thnk if they wanted the transition to cameron being the boss, well they shouldn't have spent the first 5.5 eps focusing on vala and daniel and vala. they had a perfect opportunity to really set things up for cam and wasted it on the daniel and vala comedy hour.

maybe instead of giving us attack of the killer flashbacks in avalon they should have let cam carry the show in 'real time'. tell the story through his eyes, have him going around, meeting with jack, daniel, teal'c and sam (Coulda dropped AT's stuff in when she returned after baby leave) and let us really get to know cam. Let cam be teh A story and vala and daniel be the B or C story that played out in the back ground.

instead of telling us tah teal'c is off with the jaffa, SHOW us.

let the avalon arc be cameron working to get the band back together and let us get to know cam

don't waste time on the hard sell, just let him get to know us and us to know him and let us fall for him all on our own

IMHO, it was handled very clumsily and cam has suffered from it

the, to me, forced focus on vala hurt cam's character, possibly too much for him to ever recover from. yeah, sure, we've all been told -ad nauseum - how great he is, but we've rarely seen that trait in him, which makes him very succeptible to criticism

i know they were hampered by AT being gone but i do think that things could have been handled so much better had the focus of those first few eps been on building cameron - the new lead - rather than vala....the temporary fill in. she, as a recurring character, got more of a focus than the new star of the show.

that's genius. avalon was pretty poor. maybe that's why i can't stand cam, we never get to know him. (or maybe it just BB and the fact that replaced . and for that matter. )

majorsal and skydiver: do u guys write fanfic on this? cuz u'd be great at it. (link please? )

[Skydiver]

i agree. and i also think it was easier for sam to wonder 'what if' if she kept it to herself, than knowing for sure (especially if the answer was him not caring for her in the same way). did that make sense?





sally

yep.if you never ask the question then you never know the answer and 'anything' is possible

[majorsal]

Pete was a huge step for her. But good, as well, because maybe it allowed her to explore her emotional side with a guy who was really pretty safe and wasn't likely to hurt her (and sorry, I don't buy those fanfic stories that turn Pete into a monster... the guy was a big, slobbery, loveable puppy-dog).

i would guess him being stalker boy helped to fuel him coming off as the bad guy in some fics.

ingore the second half of chimera and pete was great!

this is how i wish the second half of chimera would have went. you must know as an s/j shipper, this ep hurt me deeply. but i'm going to shut it down and just concentrate on sam carter and what's best for *sam carter*.

sam and pete are intimate. had small seizure writing that. they discuss things afterwards. pete opens up his life and heart to her, but when she doesn't comply, he gets hurt and walks out. he didn't scream or run out of the room, but it was clear that sam was hurt with him leaving her that way. okay, he's human, he reacted to the moment.

pete leaves and goes to his car. he sits a few moments, troubled by what happened, and then leaves.

later, as sam is fretting about what happened, he calls her. he apologizes, and says that he knows she's keeping something from him. when she starts to explain again, he stops her and says he knows she 'can't' explain, but it's still hard for him. he asks her to just be patient with him. and asks if she forgives him for walking out that morning. she says yes to both.

see, no pete checking up on her or following her or almost getting everyone killed at the stake out. just a man who made a mistake and apologized and moved on.

and sam would NOT have come off as a wet mop for putting up with shoddy treatment! *that's* the sore spot in this (just as much as my shipper issues).

i tried not to go ranto again

i just want things to be explained *in sam's best interest*, which is what's fueling most of my resentment in the command/co command issue as well.




sally

[Mandysg1]

that's genius. avalon was pretty poor. maybe that's why i can't stand cam, we never get to know him. (or maybe it just BB and the fact that replaced . and for that matter. )

majorsal and skydiver: do u guys write fanfic on this? cuz u'd be great at it. (link please? )

Yea I know how you feel, I was looking forward to S9 and seeing Sam leading SG1 and having a new guy join their team. It would have been so much better if they fit him into the team, instead of trying to fit the team around him. Which is probably why I don't like Cam either

[Deejay435]

Would someone mind PMing, to tell me what Gabit is?

I ask for a PM since my chemo is going very poorly this time, and it's been extended because of stupid port stuff, I'll be at the hospital till the end of the weekend, then have to go back for tests....long story short (too late, I know) I probably won't be back online till middle of next week, and I'm afraid I would miss the answer buried in pages of notes.

Thanks.

[Mandysg1]

Originally Posted by ForeverSg1
So here's a few questions for you all...

With what we have seen of season nine so far, do you think it was worth all the changes we've had so far in order to keep the show going for a ninth and possibly ten season? Or would you have preferred that they had ended the series after season eight and just chose to continue with mini-series or big screen movies?

Do you think the way the season has progressed that it will affect the chances of RDA being a part of future movies or mini-series?

If you had your chance to write the final episode of Stargate, how would you like to see it all end?

I would worry about the "mini-series or big screen movies" When X-Files was being cancelled they talked about doing movies after the series. Well only 1 movie was ever done. I think once they break up, it will be difficult to get everyone back together for a movie. But if they do do a movie, you know for sure they would work a way to get RDA in it, after all he is the one who would draw the crowds. The ratings have dropped off since he left

[majorsal]

So here's a few questions for you all...

With what we have seen of season nine so far, do you think it was worth all the changes we've had so far in order to keep the show going for a ninth and possibly ten season? Or would you have preferred that they had ended the series after season eight and just chose to continue with mini-series or big screen movies?

i would have preferred that they'd ended the series and went with movies. the show's been 'trying' to end for years, each time setting up a final whatever 'to go into a movie'. this time was no different, basically, but it came off 'more' final. you felt it even more than saw it.

i think the show's ignoring too many things that brought sam, jack, daniel, and teal'c (THE stars of the show) to the decisions they made at the end of season 8/begin season 9. when the show *used* to focus on just these ppl, it was a HUGE thing to have them disband and go their separate ways. so when the show picked up, and all that *very important at one time* events were just glossed over so we could focus on the NEW ppl and the NEW enemies and the NEW situations/sgc... it felt hollow.

i haven't been watching stargate sg1 for years just for the special effects and aliens; i've been watching for the four ppl that made up this wonderful team. i can get into the new ppl and such if they're presented to me as *supporting* of the established cast and make up of the show.

sg1 season one had me at hello. sg1 season 9 lost me from the beginning. the show should have kept the 'big three' and *that* type of show intact.

Do you think the way the season has progressed that it will affect the chances of RDA being a part of future movies or mini-series?

not necessarily. since we 'really' don't know exactly what jack does...

If you had your chance to write the final episode of Stargate, how would you like to see it all end?

with sam, jack, daniel, and teal'c moving on to another aspects of their lives, but in a happy way!

sam and jack together, with sam commanding at either area 51 or the beta site. jack retired to be with sam (and their future kids). daniel moving on to atlantis, so he can be in his glory of discovery and investigation. teal'c, i'd like to see go in a different direction. let him retire from fighting (whatever new foe) and settling down with ishta and having some more children. he deserves that kind of happiness.

sg1 would be retired (the sg1 name) and the sgc can continue on, either with mitchell and vala or whoever.




sally

[majorsal]

i think moebius was probaby the best 'series ender' they've had and it could have stood as The End.

the second best was Revelations

i actually loved 'lost city' as the series ender. i know that 'lost city' was supposed to be the movie that came after the show ended, but i thought 'lost city' was a great way of going from the show to a movie follow up. (but *only* if a movie was guaranteed to follow)



sally